The King's Speech: The Renters' Rights Bill

On 17 July 2024, the King announced the new Labour government’s legislative agenda for the coming Parliamentary year. One of the new bills was the Renters’ Rights Bill, which will ban section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions.

A section 21 eviction notice starts the legal process to end an assured shorthold tenancy. It allows landlords to terminate a tenancy without having to establish a breach of the tenancy agreement, hence “no-fault evictions”. As long as certain requirements are met, the court can grant a possession order without the landlord having to justify the eviction.

The new Labour government has stated that the Renters’ Rights Bill will give renters more security and stability, allowing them to stay in their homes for longer and avoid the risk of homelessness. However, it is unclear how long the bill will take to become law.

In the meantime, Bell Lax can continue to assist you with the section 21 eviction procedure.

When the ban does come into force, it will most likely mean that landlords will have to use the ‘section 8 eviction procedure’. The main difference between the two procedures is that under a section 8 eviction a landlord needs to prove a ‘ground’ to justify seeking possession of the property. The most common ground is a tenant’s failure to pay rent.

Some grounds are mandatory, meaning if met, the court must order possession, whilst other grounds are discretionary, meaning even if the landlord can prove the ground has been met, the court still has discretion to decide whether it is reasonable to grant the landlord possession.

At Bell Lax we have significant expertise in landlord and tenant disputes and can advise on the appropriate procedure to evict a tenant.

If you are a landlord who is concerned about these changes, or wish to discuss evicting a tenant, please call us on 0121 355 0011 to speak to one of our lawyers who will be happy to assist you.